Pork tenderloin is a special cut of meat that works perfectly with mushrooms and a marinade of herbs. This recipe shows you how to make it in a slow cooker to ensure the meat is moist and full of flavor with the minimal amount of work possible.
I love this pork tenderloin recipe! For one thing, it makes brilliant use of the slow cooker, which both frees up your time to do other things and keeps the meet moist. For another thing, the marinade in this recipe is a real standout. How can you go wrong with soy sauce, maple syrup, and a delectable combination of herbs and spices?
Marinating the pork for an hour before you cook it also makes the meat tender, so much so, that even if you end up cooking it longer than necessary for some reason, it still won’t be anything other than moist. This is my number one way to make and eat pork tenderloin.
Try the recipe to see what I’m talking about. I bet you will find yourself, like me, cooking this special cut of pork only in this way.
I’m such a fan of pork I make it as much as I can. Whether it is this recipe, a pulled pork, creamy pork chops, regular moist chops, or smoked shoulder.
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Helpful tips
- I buy organic or heritage pork and recommend you do too. The taste is excellent and once you try this pork, you won’t go back. I buy mine at Whole Foods.
- My slow cooker is 6 quarts but you could use a smaller one.
- Since there are only two of us in this household, I only make one tenderloin. If your family is bigger, add another tenderloin. You won’t have to make a bigger batch of the marinade and the cook time will be the same.
- Don’t add any salt because you are using soy sauce.
- If you prefer honey over maple syrup, you can substitute that in the same quantity.
- After putting the ingredients in the bag with the pork, be sure to massage the pork to let the marinade cover the meat. You can also massage it again after 30 minutes in the fridge and when you take it out after the hour to transfer to the slow cooker container.
- You can either cook this dish on high for 1.5 hours or on low for 3 hours.
Ingredients or substitutions
- Pork tenderloin – organic or heritage. I always buy pork tenderloin at Whole Foods and at the meat counter. So, it is not pre-packaged.
- Soy sauce
- Maple syrup – 100% pure. I love grade A amber syrup from Vermont.
- Basil – dried. You can even use dried or fresh thyme.
- Parsley – dried or fresh parsley. If you use fresh, double the amount.
- Garlic paste – or 2 garlic cloves, crushed.
- Garlic powder – because you can never have enough garlic. 🙂
- Portobello mushrooms – or white button mushrooms.
How to make pork tenderloin with mushrooms
Pre-step
Get out the slow cooker and a one-gallon zip lock bag.
Step one
Unwrap the pork tenderloin and mushrooms. (A)
Step two
Place the pork tenderloin in the zip lock bag.
Step three
Gather the rest of the ingredients – soy sauce, maple syrup, basil, parsley, garlic powder and garlic paste. (B)
Step four
Cut the mushrooms into chunks, cover and set aside.
Step five
In the bag with the pork, add the soy sauce, maple syrup, basil, parsley, garlic powder, and garlic paste. Seal the bag and massage the pork so it becomes totally covered by the marinade. (C)
Step six
Place the bag into the refrigerator to marinate for one hour.
Step seven
Take the bag of pork out of the fridge and add the pork tenderloin and the contents of the bag into the crock pot insert. Add the sliced mushrooms to both sides of the tenderloin. (D)
Step eight
Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, and set the timer for 1 ½ hours. You can also cook it on low by setting the timer for 3 hours.
Step nine
After 45 minutes, flip the tenderloin, spoon some marinade over the meat, and stir the mushrooms.
Step ten
When the timer dings, check the tenderloin’s temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the meet reaches 145 degrees F, it’s done. Place the tenderloin on a platter and add some mushrooms and marinade.
After letting the pork tenderloin rest for 5 minutes, it’s time to slice it.
Doesn’t that look good?
Let’s plate some.
Yum. Wait until you try it.
I hope you enjoyed this pork tenderloin with mushroom recipe.
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms
Ingredients
Let’s Start
- 1 pound pork tenderloin (or larger)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste (equivalent to 2 cloves garlic, crushed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1 teaspoon parsley dried
- 10 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms
Instructions
- Place tenderloin and all the other ingredients except the mushrooms in the gallon bag.
- Massage the bag, making sure the pork is covered with the marinade.
- Refrigerate for an hour to let the pork marinate.
- Get slow cooker and empty bag into it – both the tenderloin and marinade.
- Add the mushrooms to the side of the pork.
- Set slow cooker on high and set timer for 1.5 hours. After an hour flip the tenderloin and stir the mushrooms.
- Plate pork tenderloin and spoon mushrooms around the meat and pour the marinade over the pork.
- Slice pork tenderloin in inch slices. Plate pork with a side and starch.
- Eat
- Smile
- Enjoy
Equipment
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!Notes
- I buy organic or heritage pork and recommend you do too. The taste is excellent and once you try this pork, you won’t go back. I buy mine at Whole Foods.
- My slow cooker is 6 quarts but you could use a smaller one.
- Since there are only two of us in this household, I only make one tenderloin. If your family is bigger, add another tenderloin. You won’t have to make a bigger batch of the marinade and the cook time will be the same.
- Don’t add any salt because you are using soy sauce.
- If you prefer honey over maple syrup, you can substitute that in the same quantity.
- After putting the ingredients in the bag with the pork, be sure to massage the pork to let the marinade cover the meat. You can also massage it again after 30 minutes in the fridge and when you take it out after the hour to transfer to the slow cooker container.
- You can either cook this dish on high for 1.5 hours or on low for 3 hours.
Kim Beaulieu
I love pork. Whether it’s chops or tenderloin. It’s such a versatile meat. This looks absolutely amazing.
P.S. I LOVED shake n bake pork chops too. My mom used to make them all the top but she used the chicken flavour on the pork. Every few years I’ll make them just for fun and nostalgia.
Elaine
I should probably do that too Kim. I wonder if I will still like shake and bake!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ
I love slow cooker recipes. They just seem to make the food more flavorful. This looks amazing and I’m sure is so full of flavor!
Elaine
Thank you Stephanie, it is!
Dannii
I am obsessed with my slow cooker at the moment, as it has been too hot to have the oven on. This is going to be the best thing I make in it – it looks so comforting.
Elaine
It is Danni! We love it here in our household!
Kristina @ Love & Zest
I love that my slow cooker can make dinner! And it will be so good!
Elaine
It will Kristina! Thank you!
Kristen
Soy, maple and pork–HOME RUN! Can’t wait to try!
Elaine
Thanks Kristen!! It is super yummy!
MEGAN MCDUFFIE
I was a picky kid so there were *lots* of foods that I suddenly disliked… halfway through a banana once I decided, “NOPE” and didn’t touch them again until my late twenties. Just as fast as I’d swore I’d never touch them again, they ended up back on my grocery list. Funny how that goes.
Anyhow – glad pork came back into your favor because this tenderloin looks delicious. Good call on adding in the mushrooms!
Elaine
Thank you Megan!! That’s funny about the banana!
Gabby | The Tolerant Table
I can’t say I’ve had an experience like that but it took me a really long time to like pork! I think it’s because my family didn’t eat it but my friends did so it wasn’t until I was in my late twenties I started having it more often. This looks yummy, I love a slow cooker recipe!
Elaine
Thanks Gabby! I didn’t always like pork either – well, at least this type. I’ve always loved ham.
Claudia Lamascolo
wow what a tender looking medalion I just love pork and these looks super tender!
Elaine
Thanks so much Claudia! It really is delicious and tender!
Vicky
My issue with pork is always that is dry, but I bet the marinade and the slow cooker keeps this tenderloin moist. Slow cookers are the way to go for busy days.
Elaine
Definitely Vicky. Thank you for your comment!
Swati Saxena
Elaine, I really enjoyed reading your entire post. Yes, I do feel the same way, when I see raw meat and that’s why it only my husband who goes to buy meat and not me. Your pork Tenderloin with mushrooms looks amazing
Elaine
Thanks Swati! I appreciate it!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
I’m cracking up at your story about eating the piece of fat. Ugh! That’s happened to me before, and it is enough to turn me off of meat for quite a while. The good news is, this tenderloin looks lean and flavorful and perfect. I can’t wait to try it!
Elaine
Thank you Allison! I hope you enjoy it when you do!
Ann
This really makes me wish I had a slow cooker, but I’ve gotten pretty good at adapting slow cooker recipes to my dutch oven and this looks like a good candidate! YUM. (Raw meat grosses me out too, especially slimy chicken! I try to handle it as little as possible ;))
Elaine
Me too Ann (slimy chicken). I do it as fast as possible and wash my hands incessantly! 🙂 Thank you for your comment!
Kathy
Doesn’t seem like that would be enough liquid. Only a total of a 1/2 cup of liquid?
Elaine
Kathy, it is definitely enough liquid. The mushrooms add liquid to it as they cook. I would suggest you follow the recipe and if you’re home, 2.5 hours in, peek through the cover, you’ll see it has enough, though if you find that it doesn’t, just add a little water. But I really don’t think you’ll need it.
Kathy
Thank you! Going to try this tonight. Looks great!
Elaine
Thanks Kathy! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know how you fared!